Don’t politicize our history
I think it is sad that two minority groups may end a school spirit tradition. The first is the white-supremacy racist bigots who commandeered the flag for their racist purposes in the 1960s. The other is an overly sensitive propagandized group who don’t know their history. The South was not and is not a monolithic racist region; the North was not and is not an enlightened non-racist society. During the 1860s, the vast majority of Americans did not see African-descended folks as equals, including Lincoln. Black troops in the Union Army were treated as inferiors. Northerners owned slaves including U.S. Grant, who didn’t free his until Reconstruction. The first abolitionist newspaper was in the South, here at Jonesboro. The war was primarily to preserve the Union, not to free slaves. The Confederate flag in context connotes the states that seceded from the Union as they understood the Constitution allowed. Don’t politicize our history.
C. Phillip Kestner
Kingsport
Flag’s foes should just grow up
Re. the rebel flag at South, here we go again with the political correctness thing. I can’t for the life of me figure out why every time one person cries about an issue that the whole system has to change. Last time it was prayer at a ball game, now it’s flying a flag. Does anyone other than me notice a harmless trend? Grow up, people. Learn that others have beliefs and pride in them too. The flag that is flown at South isn’t there for hate, it’s there for support of their school. The world would be a better place if everyone would leave the simple issues like this alone and deal with the big problems. I see it as a bunch of harmless kids having fun and building memories during their school years. That is all it is. If we are going to take away this school’s pride, then why not just do away with their whole sports program because you can’t have one without the other. What about the D-B Indians? If my ancestors were cowboys I might find that name offensive. So should they rename every offensive team worldwide?
Jeff Roberts
Rogersville
